


Himiko

by nozomomm



Category: Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/F, First Day of School, Fluff, Married Life, Parenthood, d o m e s t i c f l u f f, literally all-star parents can they be my parents please, oneshot but might write more with this, parenting, probably the cutest thing i ever wrote ngl
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-07-03 03:17:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15810210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nozomomm/pseuds/nozomomm
Summary: Inspired by the lovechild made by @hanamarubean on instagram - also features an OC (Miyu) made by her friend @sparkle_jolte0n also on instagram. Please check them out!Riko and Yoshiko always try their best at guiding their daughter, Himiko, on the right path. The first day of elementary school is a big day for her, and frankly, a big day for them as well.





	1. First Day of School

**Author's Note:**

> Here's the link to the lovechild that literally inspired all of this haha. No joke as soon as I saw this post I immediately thought of this entire scenario. 
> 
> https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm8v2iqnsiv/?hl=en&taken-by=hanamarubean
> 
> Thanks again to @hanamarubean for creating this cute sweetiepie and allowing me to write about her! 
> 
> ***This also has nothing to do with my other series, simply a stand alone***

It was Himiko’s first day of elementary school.

Yoshiko, who was already getting emotional, was brushing through her soft blue hair. Grabbing the purple bow on the counter, she fastened it on the bottom to satisfy Himiko’s request.

“Is that how you wanted it?”, Yoshiko asked. 

Himiko turned around and looked at her back through the mirror. Yoshiko watched the small child’s golden eyes glisten and enlarge at the sight of herself. Then, Himiko turned back at Yoshiko and narrowed her eyes at her mother’s signature hair bun. Getting closer to the mirror, Himiko whipped around, grabbed a bunch of her hair, and attempted to tie it in a bun on the side of her head.

Himiko showed Yoshiko her attempt with a smile that was greatly anticipating praise. Of course, Himiko just made her hair tangled and the attempted bun was already slipping out, but nonetheless, Yoshiko’s heart melted. She returned a bright smile to her daughter and bent down to her height.

“Almost, sweetie. Do you want mommy to help you?”

Himiko nodded quickly, gleaming with excitement. Yoshiko still wanted to incorporate the lower bow, so she just gathered some of her hair on the side and created a smaller, looser bun. Again, when Himiko saw this, her eyes lit up and a contagious smile spread across her face. Suddenly, Yoshiko had one last idea. 

“Hold on, Himiko! I have a surprise!”

Yoshiko ran off to her and Riko’s bedroom. She located one of Riko’s old hair clips and took it, hoping Riko wouldn’t mind. Yoshiko returned to her daughter and put the final piece into her hair. After one more look, Himiko hurried over to Yoshiko and wrapped her arms around her lower body. Cherishing the moment, Yoshiko hugged her back and patted her head.

“Breakfast is ready!”, Riko yelled from the downstairs kitchen.

“C’mon, let’s go show mommy.”

Yoshiko took a hold of Himiko’s hand and lead her downstairs. Halfway down the stairwell, Himiko saw a glimpse of Riko and let go of Yoshiko’s hand to run ahead. 

At the noise of the young one’s tiny footsteps, Riko put down her cooking utensils and gave her attention to her daughter, who stopped and spun in a circle in front of her. Riko couldn’t help the wide smile growing on her lips and instinctively bent down and opened her arms to Himiko. In less than seconds, Himiko was in Riko’s tight hug.  
“Ahhh you look so cute!!”, Riko said while rocking her back and forth.

While still embracing her child, Riko opened her eyes and looked up at Yoshiko, who was standing a few feet behind them. A “proud parents” smile was shared between them.

“Mommy gave me this clip! And this ball!! And this bow!!”

Himiko spun around again and pointed to everything as she said it. Riko reached out and rubbed the clip against her thumb, feeling a sense of nostalgia. 

“I used to wear this clip, back when I was a child.”

Himiko looked at her mother in awe, and then asked, “I-Is it okay if I wear it?”

“Of course!”, Riko smiled. 

The family proceeded with their morning by sitting at the table and eating the toast with jelly that Riko prepared for them. Himiko’s breakfast, as always, was accompanied by a large glass of apple juice. Being her favorite drink, she also asked for it in her lunch. Her love for apple juice has been going on for years and she never got tired of it, contrary to what Riko and Yoshiko thought would happen.

Overall, however, Himiko was a quiet child. She never asked for much, besides apple juice, and never really gave Riko or Yoshiko a hard time. In kindergarten, they used to get frequent calls from the teacher, who always told them that Himiko was having trouble making new friends. This didn’t come as a surprise to either of them, because they were both lonely in their elementary years. So, they knew what they had to do this morning. 

“Himiko, are you excited for today?”, Yoshiko asked.

She nodded while chomping down on another bite of bread. Yoshiko naturally placed her hand over Riko’s and deepened her tone.

“We just want to remind you that we are so proud of you. We really are.”

Himiko looked at them with big eyes.

“That’s right”, Riko pitched in, “and we want you to have the best school years you can. If there is anything wrong, or if you’re struggling with anything, you can tell us. Sometimes, it can get tough out there and it could feel unfair at some points, but you always have us and we are here to help you. Always.”

Riko and Yoshiko really were prepared for this day and discussed what they would say to her beforehand. They agreed on telling her everything they wished they were told when they were her age. They also agreed long ago that they would always keep their parenting style real and honest, and never disregard any emotions. While also being proud of their daughter, they were always proud of each other as well. Emotions can be difficult to deal with and they definitely have learned a lot since high school. Beings adults, managing finances, raising a child- just a few years ago this all seemed so foreign to them, but here they are now, tackling it all together. And truthfully, they wouldn’t prefer it any other way. 

They both took off from work to walk Himiko to the bus stop together. She was in the middle of them, holding both of their hands. Every once in a while, she would ask if they could swing her. They’d swing her arms back and forth and count to three, then swing her off her feet. The time came too soon when they reached the bus stop. 

There were other parents and children already there, some of which were talking to each other. Yoshiko, remembering she wanted to do this, pulled out her cell phone and opened the camera. 

“Can I get a picture of you two?”, she smiled at Himiko and Riko.

Himiko got in a spot and tilted at the camera a bit, showing off her new backpack. Riko walked next to her and put an arm around her. 

“Smile!”, Yoshiko said cheerfully.

After taking the photo, Yoshiko stared and grinned at it. Small things like this always seem to hit her right in the heart and she even felt her eyes tear up a bit. She quickly went into her phone and made the picture her new lock screen. 

Soon, the bus pulled up and kids were eagerly already boarding. The mood changed between the Sakurauchi family, however. Unlike the other kids, Himiko stood still and grabbed her parents' hands again. Yoshiko and Riko let her take her time until she was the last one outside the bus. 

“Himiko, it’s okay to be nervous, the first day will always be the hardest”, Yoshiko said, crouching down to her height. She immediately hugged Yoshiko, and then went on to hugged Riko.

“Sweetie, we love you so much and it might be hard right now, but we really hope you’ll have some fun today…”, Riko started getting a little emotional herself.

“I will,” she said quietly. 

“And remember what we told you earlier, we’re proud of you and are always here to help”, Yoshiko put a comforting hand on her shoulder. 

Himiko rose her shoulders and held her head up high, heading for the bus. Before entering, she turned around and waved at Riko and Yoshiko, who waved back instantly. They saw her next peering out the window and before the bus pulled away, she smiled at them. 

By now the rest of the parents have left. Only Riko and Yoshiko remained, now hand in hand, and still staring at the spot the bus was previously in.

“She reminds me so much of you,” Riko giggled and wiped away her watery eyes.

Yoshiko chuckled, “Whaaaat, I think she’s more like you.”

Riko looked at her with raised eyebrows, but a smile nonetheless. 

“You know she ROCKED that hair clip of yours…”

Riko giggled again and pinched Yoshiko’s cheeks. They began walking back to their house together, fingers interlocked directly now, and both already missed the little link between them.

“Ok, but that bun suited her a little TOO well~~”

They laughed again together. Neither of them expected parenting to be like this. It was just so- rewarding. Of course, a lot of it was hard. Riko and Yoshiko will never forget the countless sleepless nights they shared during her infancy and the countless number of hours put to reading up on parenting and applying their own values. But in the end, it was always worth it. The rewards of seeing their child grow, face challenges, build her own character, and display the goodness Riko and Yoshiko have taught her will never fail to make them proud. 

Later that day, it was time to pick Himiko up from the bus stop. Neither of them knew what to expect, but they already prepared themselves to be completely okay if Himiko had a bad day.

The bus arrived and Riko stood holding onto Yoshiko’s arm, waiting for their child to step out of the bus. Almost all of the kids came out, but she was nowhere in sight. Riko’s grip on Yoshiko’s arm tightened. Then, Himiko appeared walking out of the bus slowly and was engaged in a conversation with another young blue-haired girl. 

Yoshiko covered her smiling lips with her free hand. As soon as Himiko made eye-contact with them, she took the girl’s hand and the two hurried over to them. The two young girls had excitement all over their faces while looking up at Yoshiko and Riko.

“This is my friend, Miyu!”

Riko and Yoshiko happily introduced themselves, then Himiko turned back around and faced Miyu.  
"It was nice meeting you today! I hope we can have fun again tomorrow,” Himiko bowed in front of her. 

When Himiko rose, Miyu quickly hugged Himiko tightly and then ran off to her own parents. Himiko immediately looked up at her parents with a smile on her face. Yoshiko and Riko smiled at each other first and then praised their daughter with smiles and pats as well. The three walked hand in hand on the way back too, but this time Himiko told them all about her day and all of the fun she had with Miyu.

The time came when Himiko asked if she could swing, in which Riko and Yoshiko immediately agreed. They swung her arms and counted “One!”, “Two!”, “Three!”, and this time, Himiko jumped with all her might.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riko and Yoshiko teach Himiko what it means to make a mistake.

It was late into the night and Riko and Yoshiko laid on their bed, fast asleep.

_Clash _!__

__The two awoke instantly from the sound of something shattering, followed by the sounds of their little girl crying. They looked at each other, panic in both of their eyes, then ran to the source of the noise._ _

__Riko managed to get there first, so she spotted Himiko and picked her up quickly. All in the same motion, she placed her on the couch safely._ _

__Yoshiko went ahead and began cleaning up the broken vase. From the fallen stand, she can easily infer what happened._ _

__“Are you hurt, Himiko?”_ _

__Yoshiko overheard Riko and she could tell she was trying to stay as calm as possible. However, Himiko kept crying. Riko then dashed to turn on the lights, as it was still pitch black in their living room._ _

__“I-I’m sorry Mommy… The vase..”_ _

__Himiko rubbed her eyes and scrambled her words, but Riko understood what she needed to. She check Himiko’s feet, knees, and arms, and luckily, she didn’t see any blood. She then sat on the couch next to Himiko and pulled her closer. Himiko grabbed onto her shirt and cried into her side._ _

__“Mistakes happen, Himiko. I’m just happy you’re not hurt,” Riko whispered while stroking her hair._ _

__“B-But.. I-I broke your vase…”_ _

__Himiko continued to sniffle and wipe her eyes. By this time, Yoshiko cleaned up all of the shards and joined her family on the couch. Riko looked at her, hoping she could also think fast for yet another parental challenge._ _

__“We’re not mad, sweetie,”, Yoshiko put her hand on her back, “Can you maybe tell us what happened?”_ _

__Himiko let go of Riko’s shirt and sat upright. Her fingers interlocked and she put them in between her legs._ _

__“I was just thirsty and came down to get apple juice.. But it was dark and I tripped over the stand. It didn’t fall on me or anything.. But I thought you and Mommy would be mad…”_ _

__Himiko doesn’t cry often. Riko and Yoshiko have reassured her that it is okay to cry, but they assume she doesn’t because she doesn’t have anything to cry about. Which they are grateful for, of course. They have also raised her to be independent, teaching her how to walk and communicate early at a younger age than average. So if she wants something, she can either get it herself or ask for it, instead of crying. This scenario was completely new to them. Their daughter was crying for the sake of not wanting them to be angry at her, or be disappointed in her. Quickly thinking, Yoshiko thought of a new lesson she could teach her._ _

__“Himiko. Did you _mean _to knock over the vase? Did you do it on _purpose _?_____ _

______Himiko looked at Yoshiko with big, still wet eyes._ _ _ _ _ _

______“N-No.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“When you don’t mean to do something, or if it wasn’t on purpose, it’s called an accident. Or, it could be called a mistake. We’ll never be angry or upset over mistakes because you can’t help them. We all make mistakes, and an important part of making the mistake is learning from it, then moving on. And as always, we’re here to help you with those steps.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Himiko listened to Yoshiko’s words closely and nodded her head along with them. She waited until Yoshiko was finished before getting up and walking to the wall with the light switches. She raised her hand all the way up, displaying the half foot of distance between the end of her fingertips and the light switch._ _ _ _ _ _

______“You couldn’t reach the lights, so you tried walking in the dark,” Riko confirmed._ _ _ _ _ _

______Himiko nodded her head._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I’ll remember not to walk in the dark next time,” the young child suggested._ _ _ _ _ _

______Riko suddenly had an idea and hurried off into an upstairs closet. She came back in less than a minute, carrying a stool._ _ _ _ _ _

______“We use this to change light bulbs,” Riko giggled._ _ _ _ _ _

______She set it on the floor under the switches. Himiko tested the stool out by stepping on it and turning off the lights, then turning them back on._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Thank you.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Himiko smiled up at Riko, who smiled back at hugged her. When they released, Riko held onto Himiko’s hand as she got down. They didn’t notice her departure, but Yoshiko then walked up next to them, carrying an apple juice box._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I don’t believe you ever got your drink,” Yoshiko smiled._ _ _ _ _ _

______Himiko took it gratefully, unattaching the straw and eagerly sticking it through the top. Drink in hand, she reached out to give Yoshiko a hug also. They have picked up on this common way Himiko shows love. Riko and Yoshiko always make sure to welcome her hugs with utmost happiness, which isn’t a hard task at all. Each one of her hugs reminds them that their hard work is all paying off and that it’s always worth it._ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just loving this lovechild so much! Check out the notes in the first chapter for the link to Himiko's original post <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riko and Yoshiko's relationship isn't always perfect. They fight, but now they have a little one peering around the corner.

Riko and Yoshiko have been married for quite some time now. They have shared several different experiences together and have been by each other’s side through thick and thin. From high school sweethearts to where they are now, they have definitely changed a lot. Each of them would agree that they have changed for the better and would not be where they are today if it wasn’t for the other. However, despite knowing each other inside and out, they are still different people and conflicts naturally occur. 

In the earlier days of their relationship, their fights were much worse. But as they began to learn more about each other, their style of arguing, and what they are sensitive to, they started communicating better and arguments would resolve more quickly and easily. Growing together, maturing together, and understanding each other really made their relationship become steady and their fights become less common. After Himiko, it also seemed as whatever they were to fight about was too trivial in comparison to the rest of their lives.

However, this doesn’t mean they never fought. 

After attending college for 4 years, Riko ended up getting a mediocre job that was only somewhat interesting. She always dreamed of going further in her career, but Himiko came along and she decided she “wouldn’t fix what’s not broken”. She’s never regretted her decision, but now since Himiko started school and things have settled down, she wanted to give it another try. Yoshiko supported her decision immediately of course and did everything in her power to help her out. But there was nothing she could do about the fact that their finances might get a little tight when even more student loans get added to the bunch. To counter this, Riko decided to keep her full-time job and get a low paying part-time job, while enrolling in a part-time graduate program. Obviously, Yoshiko was worried about this from the start, but she knew nothing could combat Riko’s determination.

5 months after this new schedule has begun, Riko came home exhausted as always. Except for this time, after walking through the kitchen, a new emotion overwhelmed Riko. 

“Yoshiko”

Riko peered into their bedroom door. Like every night, Yoshiko was laying under the covers with a book in her hands and the room dimly lit. Yoshiko has forever been a night owl, so staying up until Riko got home was never a problem for her. Usually, Yoshiko would ask her about her day, maybe give her a massage, or do anything that would help Riko relax after her long days. However, Yoshiko instantly recognized Riko’s demeanor. 

“What’s wrong?”, she said, already stepping out of bed. 

It looked as if Riko was internally sighing as she turned around and headed back to the trigger of her negativity. Yoshiko followed, but she was still confused up until the point where Riko stopped at the pile of dirty dishes in the kitchen sink.

“I thought I told you to do these.” 

Damn! 

Yoshiko gritted her teeth at her awful forgetness. She really has to make a big mental note to do these little things, after knowing it’s things like this that push too many of Riko’s buttons. It’s also the third time this week she’s forgotten, so Yoshiko understood why Riko would be annoyed with her. 

“Ah, I’m sorry I forgot again. I’ll do them right now.”

Yoshiko went to turn on the faucet, but Riko stopped her.

“You have to remember to do these things! What if I didn’t catch them and we wouldn’t have any plates tomorrow!” 

Yoshiko almost squinted her eyebrows at the ridiculousness of her remarks. Run out of plates? But of course, Yoshiko knew that that was the last thing Riko was worried about. 

“Riko, I’m sorry about the dishes. They just keep slipping my mind for some reason. I won’t forget again, I promise. You’re a bit stresse--”

“Stressed? Oh no, I’m deeefinitely not stressed.”

Riko said sarcastically while crossing her arms and leaning back against the countertop. Yoshiko could just feel the waves of strain and negativity flowing out of Riko. She could also tell that Riko wanted to scream or cry, or both. Riko only crosses her arms when she’s trying to hold back something. 

“Let’s talk about this, Riko.”  
“What’s there to talk about?”

Yoshiko looked directly into Riko’s eyes. They were expressing little emotion, but the emotion that Yoshiko could see was the starting point of anger. The tension between them rose.

“Look, you know that I support you in everything you do, but maybe it’s time to rethink the two jobs? I’m sure we can make it work another way, a way that doesn’t involve you coming home like this…” 

“It’s not my fault I’m acting like this! I’ve been giving you this simple task for months now and I’ve lost track of the times you’ve forgotten to do it.”

“This isn’t about the dishes, Riko! You’re overwhelming yourself every day and can’t handle a normal inconvenience.”

Yoshiko was trying to remain calm and collected because also being angry wouldn’t help Riko’s case at all. It was definitely proving difficult, however. 

“And me being upset just SUCKS for you now, doesn’t it?”

Riko’s voice was cracking and her eyes began growing with more passion.

“You know that’s not true. I want you to reconsider your schedule for your own sake, for your own health. There’s nothing wrong with you getting upset, I just want to remind you that there are other options.”

Riko didn’t respond to this. Rather, she stared off into the next room and allowed the tears to escape her lids. Looking at Riko, Yoshiko noticed her eyes squint as if spotted something in the other room. Yoshiko turned around to discover Himiko peeking over the couch, watching and gripping onto the couch.

Riko glances back at Yoshiko, making eye contact.

“I just… need a little time alone…”

She wiped her eyes and walked back to their room. Yoshiko sighed, knowing it was best now to let her recoup on her own. Similar to herself, Riko needed some time alone whenever they fought. 

Yoshiko headed over to their daughter and sat on the couch that she was leaning over. This was probably the first time Himiko has seen them argue like that. Yoshiko could only imagine how confused she must be, but it truly was the perfect time to teach her something. 

“Is mommy okay?”

Himiko’s small, quavering voice interrupted Yoshiko’s thoughts. 

“She will be. She asked for a little alone time, so we’ll respect that.”

Himiko nodded and stretched out her arms to Yoshiko. Yoshiko smiled at her, then accepted the hug.

“I’m sorry that I got out of bed. I just heard yelling and I got worried. You didn’t see me so I hid behind the couch.” 

“It’s okay, sweetie.”

Yoshiko took her daughter’s small hand into hers. Himiko used her other hand to attempt to dry her eyes. Yoshiko bit her bottom lip in a struggle to find the proper words to say. Even though their disagreement was only a few minutes and small compared to their past fights, Yoshiko was feeling the heavy atmosphere intensely.

“Are you okay, mama?” 

Himiko looked up at her with eyes the size of the moon. Yoshiko released her lip, triggering the tears to fall down her cheeks. The kindness of their daughter never fails to make her emotional. Yoshiko knew Himiko must be sad and confused, but yet she’s prioritizing the emotions of her parents over her own.

Yoshiko tightened her grip on her hand and smiled at her, while also nodding her head in response.

“You know your mother and I are different people, right?”

“Mhm.”

“Different people have different personalities, different views, and just different ways of doing things. And sometimes, when different people have different thoughts, they get annoyed or angry.” 

“Is there no one that’s like you?”, Himiko asked curiously.

“No. And there’s no one like you either. Or Riko, or anybody you know. We’re all different and that’s perfectly okay. The key to handling different people is communication. If you can talk things out when your differences collide, everything will be a lot easier.”

“Did you and mommy talk things out?”

“Not quite yet. We will soon, but Riko is under a lot of stress right now and I probably just added more. That just goes to show that we’re not perfect people. And you’ll find out that no one is, Himiko.”

They both turned their heads when they heard the sound of a door cracking open from down the hall. Riko was slowly appearing out of the doorway and headed over to them as soon as she made eye contact. Himiko got up as if she were going to leave.

“You can stay, Himiko”, Riko assured her. 

Himiko glanced between Riko and the couch, and ultimately decided to sit in a chair adjacent to the couch, leaving space for Riko to sit by Yoshiko. Riko saw and understood what Himiko did, which made her heart feel lightened. She took the seat that Himiko left open for her. Still, there was a bit of tension in the air.

Yoshiko broke the silence.

“I’m sorry, Riko. There’s a lot on your mind and I just added extra stress.”

Riko felt the atmosphere change and her body physically relax.

“I really shouldn’t have burst out on you like that though, you didn’t do anything entirely wrong. I’m just really frustrated right now and I don’t know what to do.”

She realized all of this when she was spending some time alone after their small fight. She truly was in no headspace to be making any decisions or even being open-minded to any changes, especially after her life has just been work and studies recently. 

Riko and Yoshiko simply looked at each other for the next few minutes. They do this sometimes, being that they occasionally can read and just feel each other better than they can verbally communicate. Riko’s eyes were half-open and looking softly at Yoshiko, to which Yoshiko could determine that she was 1) extremely tired and 2) calm, but still thinking about a lot but ready to hear whatever advice or anything that she gives her.

Riko could tell that Yoshiko was willing to comfort her and feel with her by the compassion that seemed to be flowing out of her. That has always been one of the things that Riko found incredibly charming about Yoshiko. Her big heart, the indiscriminate love she has to offer to the world, and her purely comfortable energy always made her the best person to talk to. Not only was Yoshiko releasing this energy like mad, but she also had a natural expression, where her face was resting, yet her eyes were almost a mirror of her soul. The purple glimmer, large and powerful pupil and the relaxed state of her eyebrows all made this clear to Riko.

If just her presence wasn’t enough, Yoshiko moved her arms around Riko and pulled her in closer. Being completely honest, they seldom hug. With such busy lives, they only have time for kisses out the door or a special night if Himiko goes to bed early. But because of the rarity of their hugs, it made this hug feel so much more important.

Yoshiko always held her so close. 

Riko couldn’t help the tears running down the sides of her cheeks and onto Yoshiko’s shirt. She was always the one to get emotional, and she was really crying out of happiness for her amazing support system and how lucky she is to have people who really care. 

“Thank you..”, she said quietly into Yoshiko’s shoulder.

After another minute, Yoshiko released Riko and laid back on the couch with her arm extended, so that Riko could lay her head on her shoulder.

“Riko, I know how motivated you are to work and study, but I really am just worried about your health. There could be another way for us to get the money”, Yoshiko spoke softly, yet powerfully moving her hand over and on top of Riko’s.

”I do feel as if I’m not spending enough time here. I really miss you guys too, but at the same time I don’t want to disappoint you or myself.”

“It really takes a strong person to walk away from something that they’re not happy with. You know that Himiko and I believe in you 100% and would never be disappointed in you for doing something like this.”

Riko turned to look at Himiko, who was intently watching her parents from the other chair in the room. She smiled and gave a thumbs up to Riko, which made Riko smile instantly. 

“Plus,” Yoshiko added, “you’re like the strongest woman I know who’s really capable of doing anything she puts her mind to, so it’s really up to you with what you decide to do.” 

Yoshiko goofily smiled at her and moved her eyebrows up and down. Riko sighed while allowing herself to smile at Yoshiko’s nice compliments. Leave it up to these two to make her feel instantly better. 

“I haven’t made a decision yet, but what do you have in mind for other ways to get the money?”

Yoshiko put fingers to her chin in deep thought. 

“Hmm.. Well, we could invest.”

“Invest?” Riko questioned, “Like in stocks?”

“Yeah! Isn't You like an accountant or something?”

That was true; their old friend You turned out to be an accountant. 

“Well, yes…”

“Great! I'll talk to her then. I always wanted to invest.”

Riko laughed at Yoshiko's interest in the stock market. A familiar warm feeling filled her heart once more. That feeling rooted from growing up with Yoshiko and getting to experience all of life's challenges with her best friend and true love. Even after being married, things like investing in stocks still manages to fulfill this warmth. This only supported her theory that this warmth truly never will die. 

“Any other options, oh-so brilliant Yohane?”, Riko teased her with the use of an old name. 

“Don't take that name lightly, you are still signed under my contract after all!” Yoshiko teased back. 

“But anyway, yes, we could rearrange our budget and if you quit your part-time job, then I could pick one up and work weekends to fill the rest. I know you probably don't like that idea, but it'll balance this out a bit more!”, Yoshiko continued.

Yoshiko watched as Riko’s eyes filled with concern. She was about to object to Yoshiko getting another job for something she wants, but then she began to rationalize. She still hated the idea of someone else doing what she thinks is her work but if Yoshiko was in this situation, she would do the same for her.

“Are you sure that will work out?”, Riko questioned. 

“We could look into our schedules a bit more tomorrow, but I think it'll be okay. I mean, you could have the weekends off to study and be with Himiko.”

Riko had to admit that sounded nice, but she knew of the negatives of this option. She would get to see even less of Yoshiko.

“We would barely to get to see each other in the day..”, Riko trailed off.

“We'll find ways- we always do! And whatever we manage to do, it'll be a lot better than the 14 hour days you've been pulling..”

Riko looked at the clock. It was close to midnight, meaning that she's been up for 18 hours. Yoshiko was right again, this was the only time she saw Yoshiko and Himiko with her current schedule. 

“Alright. I'll quit my part-time job.”

Yoshiko was still picking up discontent with this answer. She put her hand on top of Riko’s. 

“Everything will be okay. It's not giving up, we're just going to make things a little bit easier for you. You're still going to get that degree, you got this!”

“Yeah!”, Himiko cheered, still sitting across the room.

Riko smiled and held out her arms to Himiko, who came running. Himiko climbed onto her lap and rested her head against her mother's chest.

“Does Mommy feel better?”, Himiko asked in a muffled voice. 

Riko stroked the back of her head with her left hand, as Yoshiko was still holding the right. 

“Yeah, a little bit. I’m sorry I haven't gotten to be at home as much as I'd like to. I really miss you and Mama a lot, so I need to do some more thinking.”

“I like when you’re home,” Himiko said, now looking up at her with softness in her eyes.

Riko felt her heart ting, then her throat ache, and then felt the sprout of tears in the corners of her eyes. Home, yes, this is where she belonged the most and she could not forget that. Home is the place where her daughter and wife are, making it the place she’s most happy. Even at the darkest hours, home is home. She hugged Himiko again, reassuringly. Riko felt stronger in that moment and realized something. She needed to stay home in order to power through. All of the love and support she ever would need is right here, and Riko believed that love and support could give her the power to do anything. 

“I love you, Himiko.” 

Himiko’s small hands pressed into Riko’s back.

“I love you too, Mommy!”

Riko turned to Yoshiko, who was watching them with sparkles of tears in her eyes as well. Touching her face, Riko kissed Yoshiko on the lips. 

After the short kiss, Riko leaned back and whispered “thank you” to Yoshiko.

**Author's Note:**

> This was super fun to write so if any of you want more of Himiko just ask! I'll take any plot ideas or childhood stepping stones you wanna see Himiko in :)))


End file.
